Mapping urban heatwaves and islands: the reverse effect of Salento’s “white cities”
Extreme events related to climate change are increasing in intensity, frequency, and duration worldwide. Europe is identified as a heatwave hotspot, with trends three-to-four time faster than the northern mid-latitudes; effects of heatwaves are combined in urban contexts with the heat island phenome...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Earth Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2024.1375827/full |
| _version_ | 1797201233279188992 |
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| author | Stefano De Razza Carlo Zanetti Carlo Zanetti Massimo De Marchi Salvatore Eugenio Pappalardo |
| author_facet | Stefano De Razza Carlo Zanetti Carlo Zanetti Massimo De Marchi Salvatore Eugenio Pappalardo |
| author_sort | Stefano De Razza |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Extreme events related to climate change are increasing in intensity, frequency, and duration worldwide. Europe is identified as a heatwave hotspot, with trends three-to-four time faster than the northern mid-latitudes; effects of heatwaves are combined in urban contexts with the heat island phenomenon, making cities critical for climate risk prevention and management. Land surface temperature represents an essential parameter for assessing the intensity of thermal impact on urban ecosystems and on public health. This parameter is widely used to map and assess urban heat islands in light to support climate-resilient adaptation planning. The general aim of this study is to assess urban heat island intensity, during a significant heatwave, in a critical heat-related risk region in Southern Italy (Salento). Specific objectives are 1) assessing climate change trends for heat-related extremes (hot days and heatwaves), 2) calculating urban heat islands intensity at regional and urban scale, 3) assessing spatial relationships among thermal intensity and urban characteristics (soil sealing and surface albedo). Identification of heatwaves is based on climatological data and statistical analyses; spatial thermal analyses and correlations are based on Landsat-8 imagery while land cover data are derived from ortho-photos. Climate analyses show a notable increase of the maximum annual temperature of 0.5°C per decade, with an increase of eight hot days per decade. Spatial analyses on thermal impact highlight that urban heat island intensity is much lower within cities and towns than in rural areas, showing a “reverse effect” compared to the typical microclimatic characteristics of urban contexts. In fact, thermal intensity in the city of Lecce ranges from −11°C to 5.6°C. Also, by NDVI analyses, we found that permeable surfaces were 2°C higher than impermeable surfaces, with statistically significant differences. Results from albedo analysis suggest that the characteristics of building material in historical sectors of cities may play a crucial role in this “reverse effect” of urban heat islands. Further studies are required to better investigate the contribution of different factors in this context. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T07:44:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1b5324c55e904f0d9cf48f4378bcbd37 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-6463 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T07:44:17Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-1b5324c55e904f0d9cf48f4378bcbd372024-04-19T04:46:36ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632024-04-011210.3389/feart.2024.13758271375827Mapping urban heatwaves and islands: the reverse effect of Salento’s “white cities”Stefano De Razza0Carlo Zanetti1Carlo Zanetti2Massimo De Marchi3Salvatore Eugenio Pappalardo4Laboratory GIScience and Drones for Good, Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering (ICEA), University of Padua, Padua, ItalyDepartment of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Padua, Padua, ItalyAntonio Papisca Human Rights Centre, University of Padua, Padua, ItalyDepartment of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Padua, Padua, ItalyDepartment of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Padua, Padua, ItalyExtreme events related to climate change are increasing in intensity, frequency, and duration worldwide. Europe is identified as a heatwave hotspot, with trends three-to-four time faster than the northern mid-latitudes; effects of heatwaves are combined in urban contexts with the heat island phenomenon, making cities critical for climate risk prevention and management. Land surface temperature represents an essential parameter for assessing the intensity of thermal impact on urban ecosystems and on public health. This parameter is widely used to map and assess urban heat islands in light to support climate-resilient adaptation planning. The general aim of this study is to assess urban heat island intensity, during a significant heatwave, in a critical heat-related risk region in Southern Italy (Salento). Specific objectives are 1) assessing climate change trends for heat-related extremes (hot days and heatwaves), 2) calculating urban heat islands intensity at regional and urban scale, 3) assessing spatial relationships among thermal intensity and urban characteristics (soil sealing and surface albedo). Identification of heatwaves is based on climatological data and statistical analyses; spatial thermal analyses and correlations are based on Landsat-8 imagery while land cover data are derived from ortho-photos. Climate analyses show a notable increase of the maximum annual temperature of 0.5°C per decade, with an increase of eight hot days per decade. Spatial analyses on thermal impact highlight that urban heat island intensity is much lower within cities and towns than in rural areas, showing a “reverse effect” compared to the typical microclimatic characteristics of urban contexts. In fact, thermal intensity in the city of Lecce ranges from −11°C to 5.6°C. Also, by NDVI analyses, we found that permeable surfaces were 2°C higher than impermeable surfaces, with statistically significant differences. Results from albedo analysis suggest that the characteristics of building material in historical sectors of cities may play a crucial role in this “reverse effect” of urban heat islands. Further studies are required to better investigate the contribution of different factors in this context.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2024.1375827/fullurban heat islandsclimate changeLSTalbedoLandsat-8 |
| spellingShingle | Stefano De Razza Carlo Zanetti Carlo Zanetti Massimo De Marchi Salvatore Eugenio Pappalardo Mapping urban heatwaves and islands: the reverse effect of Salento’s “white cities” Frontiers in Earth Science urban heat islands climate change LST albedo Landsat-8 |
| title | Mapping urban heatwaves and islands: the reverse effect of Salento’s “white cities” |
| title_full | Mapping urban heatwaves and islands: the reverse effect of Salento’s “white cities” |
| title_fullStr | Mapping urban heatwaves and islands: the reverse effect of Salento’s “white cities” |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mapping urban heatwaves and islands: the reverse effect of Salento’s “white cities” |
| title_short | Mapping urban heatwaves and islands: the reverse effect of Salento’s “white cities” |
| title_sort | mapping urban heatwaves and islands the reverse effect of salento s white cities |
| topic | urban heat islands climate change LST albedo Landsat-8 |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2024.1375827/full |
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